The Ogun State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), CN Tijjani Rabe, has responded sharply to comments attributed to human rights activist and political campaigner Omoyele Sowore over the agency’s operations against cannabis cultivation and illicit drugs.
In his response, Rabe defended the NDLEA’s mandate, challenged the criticism of its officers and argued that calls for cannabis legalisation must be considered against Nigeria’s current institutional, regulatory and security realities.
“With all due respect, Sir,” Rabe began, stressing that leadership should not be built on insults directed at institutions whose personnel make daily sacrifices in service of the country.
According to him, the NDLEA does not destroy cannabis farms arbitrarily or “for sport.” Rather, he maintained that the agency operates under Nigeria’s existing drug laws, which empower it to combat the illicit cultivation, production, trafficking and distribution of controlled substances.
The NDLEA itself states that it was established in 1989 and is responsible for curtailing the illicit production, importation, exportation, sale and trafficking of psychoactive substances. Its mandate also extends beyond enforcement to prevention, counselling and rehabilitation.
Rabe therefore argued that Nigerians should judge the agency not by insults but by its record.
He pointed to the scale of drug seizures recorded by the agency and its efforts to disrupt trafficking networks. In April 2025, for example, the NDLEA announced the destruction of approximately 1.6 million kilograms of assorted illicit substances seized across Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States, including about 1.4 million kilograms of cannabis.
More recently, the agency reported major interceptions involving cannabis shipments, including 4,173.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud at Tin Can Island Port in Lagos in May 2026 and another 6,778.5 kilograms at Apapa Port in June 2026.
Rabe also rejected the suggestion that the NDLEA’s role is limited to arrests and destruction. He noted that the agency counsels, treats and rehabilitates people struggling with drug dependence. The NDLEA says its rehabilitation and demand-reduction programmes include psychosocial interventions, counselling, vocational support and reintegration, with residential rehabilitation centres operating in 30 state commands.
At the heart of the disagreement, however, is cannabis legalisation.
Rabe argued that Nigeria cannot simply import policy models from other countries without considering its own security, regulatory and institutional capacity. He maintained that legalisation without strong safeguards—including effective tracking systems, laboratories, prescription monitoring where applicable and adequate rehabilitation infrastructure—could create additional challenges and leave room for illicit markets to survive.
Canada provides a useful, though imperfect, comparison. Cannabis was legalised for non-medical use in 2018, and Health Canada reported that 72% of cannabis consumers in 2024 obtained cannabis from legal sources, while 3% reported illegal purchases. The figures show substantial movement toward the regulated market, but they also demonstrate that legalisation does not automatically eliminate illicit supply.
Rabe further contended that some cannabis farms described as economically viable agricultural enterprises may also be connected to criminal networks and trafficking activities. In such circumstances, he argued, immediate legalisation could inadvertently provide legitimacy or economic space to networks already operating outside the law.
His alternative is what he described as stronger advocacy for medical research and Alternative Development programmes that can provide legitimate and sustainable livelihoods for farmers, rather than rushing into nationwide legalisation.
“If the goal is to build an industry,” his position suggests, “then let us first build the laboratories, rehabilitation centres and cooperatives capable of making that industry safe and sustainable.”
The broader debate, therefore, is no longer simply about whether cannabis should be legal or illegal. It raises deeper questions about poverty, agriculture, public health, criminality, regulation, research and Nigeria’s institutional preparedness.
Rabe concluded that until the necessary foundations are established, the NDLEA will continue to enforce the law as it currently stands.
“That is not ‘idiotic’, Sir,” he said. “That is duty.”
While acknowledging the criticism, the Ogun commander said the agency would “excuse the tone,” suggesting that public officials and aspiring leaders should be able to disagree over policy without undermining the institutions charged with enforcing existing laws.
The exchange between Sowore and the NDLEA ultimately highlights a significant national policy question: Should Nigeria reform its cannabis laws, and if so, is the country institutionally prepared to regulate the industry without worsening the very problems legalisation is intended to solve?
For now, the NDLEA’s position remains clear: reform the law through democratic processes if necessary, but until that happens, its officers will continue enforcing the law currently in force.
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